22 Mar 2020

Dancing in the genes - 'Polyfest's another part of our being'

9:44 am on 22 March 2020

This year would have been the 45th celebration of Polyfest, where thousands of secondary school students showcase Pacific dance and music in Auckland.

Seteone Tuli leads practice with the boys at Aorere College as they prepare for Polyfest.

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

The Tuli family are known among the Tongan community in Auckland for their passion and commitment to teaching Tongan faiva (cultural performance).

Before the news that Polyfest was cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns, the Tuli family had poured their hearts and many tireless hours into tutoring three separate schools.

Mabel Muller and Claire Eastham-Farrelly met the family to find out how they balance life, work and teaching and asked what's motivated them to do it for 25 years.